Wauseon TubeTech
This is the next story in our People of Integrion series, where we highlight the individuals whose careers have shaped Integrion Automation over the years. Together, their experiences reflect what it means to build a lasting career and a strong community in manufacturing.
Jeff Thierry is a Sr. Application Engineer at Integrion Automation, and he's been part of this company for 37 years. He joined in 1989, back when we were Wauseon Machine, and he's had a hand in almost every stage of how the company grew. If you want to understand where Integrion comes from, Jeff is one of the best people to ask.
Learning the trade from the shop floor up
Jeff's manufacturing career started before Wauseon Machine. He spent nine years at Brookwood, a division of Fabex (now part of Cooper Standard), where he worked as head welder and QC inspector, built equipment in the toolroom, became toolroom supervisor, and eventually oversaw maintenance and PPAP. That range matters. Knowing how parts get welded, inspected, tooled and kept running is the foundation he brought with him.
When he arrived at Wauseon Machine in 1989, he wore a lot of hats. He handled estimating and sales, designed endform tooling, ran tryouts, and designed equipment by hand on a drafting board.
The machine that sold itself over lunch
In 1990, Jeff was part of an early endformer sale that still makes a great story. The customer's team brought in their tools, handed them to Jeff, and told him to have everything set up by the time they got back from lunch. They laughed when they said it.
Jeff got it done. When they came back and found the machine ready, they told him not to take the tools out, and they bought the machine on the spot.
It's a small moment, but it says a lot about how Jeff works and about the kind of company Wauseon Machine was becoming. When a customer puts a challenge on the table, you meet it.
Growing alongside the people around him
Ask Jeff how his role has changed over the years and he doesn't point to a piece of technology. He points to people. In his words, you grow in different ways from your bosses, your coworkers and the customers you meet.
He credits Russ and Eric with playing a big part in shaping his path, along with the many great people he's met here along the way. And when you ask what's kept him at Integrion for nearly four decades, his answer is simple: "I like working with the people here, and the customers are great."
From one shop to Integrion Automation
Jeff has watched this company grow from one guy in a shop (an old gas station, no less) into what Integrion Automation is today. The culture has changed over the years, too. What hasn't changed, he says, are the friendships built with coworkers and customers along the way.
He's also seen the rebrand firsthand, and he's candid that some longtime customers have wondered whether we're still Wauseon Machine and whether we still do the same work. The answer is yes. The people who are still here, Jeff included, are a big part of what the company is today, and the endforming and tube fabrication work he helped build continues under Wauseon TubeTech.
What he's proudest of
Jeff remembers a team that pulled together. If a customer was down, everyone worked to get them up and running again, and if someone needed to work all night or come in early, they did. It wasn't always easy, and sometimes it was stressful. But the customer came first, and that's the part of the story he's proudest of.
Advice for the next generation
His advice for anyone starting out in manufacturing or automation is practical: do your research on the company first. Look at how long it's been in business, and look at its turnover.
He also sees one difference in how the industry works now. There used to be more face-to-face interaction, and he believes business has lost something with less of it over the past few years. It's a reminder that the best customer relationships are still built in person.
Why it matters
Integrion's reputation for reliability didn't come from a name. It came from people like Jeff, who take pride in their work, work as a team, and keep showing up for customers, even if that means staying all night. Thirty-seven years later, that's still the standard.
Jeff's story is one of many that make up Integrion Automation. Whether you've worked with Wauseon Machine in the past or you're looking for a partner with decades of hands-on experience behind every machine, Jeff and the rest of our team are here to help. Reach out and start the conversation.
